Poultry cage



R. R. CLARK ET AL POULTRY CAGE Filed June 2l, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 9, 1940.

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Jan. 9, 1940.A I R. R. CLARK ET L 185009 v POULTRY CAGE vfrfzg Jan. 9, 1940. Ryn. cLARK ET A1.

POULTRY CAGE 13 sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June` 2l, 1938 /0 Il Ol fla/f Jan.' 9, 1940.

R. R. CLARK ET AL POULTRY CAGE Filed June 21. 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan 9, 1940- R. R. CLARK E1- AL 2,186,009

' POULTRY CAGE Filed June 2l, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 e p E gg@ Jan. 9,1940. R. R. CLARK Rm 2,180,009

POULTRY CAGE Filed June 2l, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jan. 9, 1940. R. R. CLARK Erm.

POULTRY CAGE 1:5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1938 Jan. 9, 1940 R. R. CLARK Rr AL 2,186,009

PouL'rnY CAGE Filed une 21, 1938 13 sheets-sheet a Mgg /vrneys Jim 9, 1940. R. R. CLARK ET A1. 2,186,009

POULTRY CAGE Filed June 2l, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 W www 77M ys Jan. 9, 1940. R, R, CLARK ET AL 2,186,009

POULTRY CAGE Filed June 21, 1958 13 Sheets-Sheet l0 Jan. 9, l1940. R. R. CLARK ET AI. 186909 POULTRY CAGE 13 Sheets-Sheet 1l Filed June 21, 1938 Jan. 9, 1940.

POULTRY CAGE Filed June 21, 1958 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Jan. 9, 1940. R. R. CLARK x-:r A1.

POULTRY CAGE Filed June 2l, 1938 13 Sheets-Sheet 13 Patented Jan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PoUL'rRY CAGE Rolland R. Clark, West Haven, and Burton W.

Phelps, North Haven, Conn.

Application June 21, 1938, Serial No. 214,876

I 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in poultry cages and particularly to cages arranged in tiers, sometimes referred to as a battery, and designed for laying-hens.

The object of the invention is to provide cages for poultry which may be maintained in a sanitary condition with the expenditure of little labor and expense, and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a poultry cage embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a left-hand end view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a right-hand end view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a broken sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;y

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 1`1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a broken front view of one of the coops;

Fig. 9 is a side view of ,the same;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the door-locking means;

Fig. 11 is a top view of the hinge-bar latch;

Fig. 12 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 13 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 14 is a top view of a feed-box;

Fig. 15 is a perspective View of the same detached;

Fig. 16 is a top plan View of an egg-basket;

Fig. 17 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 18 is a broken sectional view of the same taken .on the line lli-I8 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a broken plan view of a basket-supd port;

Fig. 20 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 2l is a top plan view of a series of pans;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken on the line 22-22 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is a broken plan view showing a portion of a'pan on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 24 is a sectional view on the line 24--24 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 is a sectional view on the line 25-25 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 26 is a broken perspective view of one of the pans detached; y

Fig. 42'7 is a front view of the switch together with its operating mechanism shown in the open- Fig. 28 is a side elevational view thereof Fig. 29 is a similar view with the switch-box partly broken away, showing the bar in its depressed or circuit-closing position;

Fig. 30 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 31 is av broken plan view showing th spring-latch in position to be moved by the chain;

Fig. 32 is an edge view of the latch;

Fig. 33 is a broken vertical central sectional view of one of the pan-scraping mechanisms, the parts being shown at the beginning of the scraping operation;

Fig. 34 is a broken end view of the same;

Fig. 35 is a'view similar to Fig. 33 with the parts shown in an intermediate position;

Fig. 36 is a broken plan view thereof;

Fig. 37 is a fragmentary side View of a kicker;

Fig. 38 is a view similar to Fig. 33 with the parts shown at the.,end of the scraping operation;

Fig. 39 is a broken plan View of the kicker;

Fig. 40 is a broken vertical central sectional View of another pan-scraping mechanism, the parts being shown at the beginning of the scraping operation;

Fig. 41 is a similar view with the parts shown at the end of the scraping operation;

Fig. 42 is a plan view of the scraper detached;

Figs. 43 to 47 inclusive are side views illustrating the pan-turning operation;

Fig. 48 is a face view of,one of the pan-turning yokes; and

Fig. 49 is a broken side view of one of the watertanks detached.

For illustration, we have shown a unit or battery of eighteen coops, ten in the lower tier and eight in the upper tier, but it is obvious that the battery could be extended lengthwise to any desired length, and also that another battery might be superimposed upon the first unit, if head-room permits.

A unit comprises corner-posts 55, 56, 51,' 58, the posts being connected together at the top by longitudinal metal beams or rails 59 and 60,'and above the iioor by longitudinal L-rails 6I, 62 'and at the top the beams on opposite sides are connected by bracing-beams 63, 64.

Midway between the upper rails 59 and 60 and the lower rails 6I, 62, longitudinal L-rails 65, 65 are also secured to the corner-posts, and the rails are also supported by uprights 6l. Each tier is divided by a series of longitudinal panels 68'01 expanded sheet-metal and into coops by transverse panels 69 also of expanded sheet-metal. The method of securing these panels in place is indicated in Fig. 5, in which, as shown, the points 10 of the edges are reversely otl'set to engage with supporting-rods 1|.

The closure for the front of each coop is illustrated in Fig. 8, wherein a door 12 of expanded sheet-metal has its upper edge connected to a. hinge-bar 13 and its lower edge with a lockingbar 14. The ends of the hinge-bar extend upwardly and are inset to pass through perforations 15 formed for them in the rails.

The ends 16 of the locking-bar 14 are turned downward and adapted to enter sockets 11 on the uprights 61, from which they may be released by raising the door. To prevent the hinge-bar from turning, we arrange a latch 18 on each side, and these latches are connected by links 19 with n lever 80, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14, so that when the lever is moved to the left, the latches will be disengaged from the hinge-bar 1'3 and allow the door to be lifted and swung outwardly. In each door is an opening 8| surrounded by a frame 82 with which the edges of the door are connected. In front of each door-opening, a feed-box 83 of any approved construction may be suspended. At the rear of each coop is a drirking-cup 84 for water supplied through pipes 85-85 leading from tanks 81-88 supplied by a feed-pipe 89, and in each tank is a float-valve 90 to control the inlet of water to the tank, so that when the water in the cup lowers to a predetermined point, the float-valve will open to permitV the iniiow of water until the level of water in the cups again reaches the desired point. This prevents the waste of water and insures a constant supply. As shown in Fig. 6, a tank is arranged for each tier.

In each coop is a fiooror egg-basket 9| (Figs. i6, 17 and 18), also formed from expanded sheetmetal This basket projects forwardly below the door, and at the front of each basket is a cushion 92 of sponge rubber or other suitable material, held in place by turning the forward end 93 and side edges 94 of the basket upward, and against which cushion an egg may roll, the floor being inclined downwardly from the rear of the coop. The turned-up inner ends of the basket engage with the lower edges of the longitudinal panels 68, with which they are held in place by longitudinally-arranged rods 95, and are further supported by rods 96 suspended by yokes 91 from transverse brace-rods 98.

Below each egg-basket is a pan 99 formed from tint sheet-metal and comprising a central portion |90, a forwardly-and-upwardly-projecting lip lill which is reinforced transversely by making :i lold |02. At the rear, the pan has an incline |03 from which is a rear extension |04, and the rear edge is turned forwardly, thence downwardly, forwardly and upwardly, to form a passage |05 for a shaft |06. In the ends of the shaft, screw-studs |01 are mounted. 'I'he studs extend through links |08 of endless chains |09, liu and through rollers and the rollers ride upon the rails 6|, 62 and 65, 66. At each side fii the pan is a wall |2.

The chains pass over sprocket-wheels ||3, ||4

an ses, ne et each side of the left end of the and over similar sprocket-wheels ||1, ||8 rnd H9, |20 at the right end. To move the :s-mins. we prefer to employ an electric motor |2|,

- flic driving-shaft |22 of which transmits motion worm |23 meshing with a work-wheel |24 i drives through a chain |25, a sprocketel |26 and the shaft |21 of the chain-sprocket so that when the motor is running the chains `will be moved. If desired, a sprocket-wheel |28 may be arranged tc engage the chain |28 and a crank |29 xed to the shaft |30 of the wheel |28, so that the chain may be moved by hand.

If an electric motor is employed, a switch |3| will be employed, including a vertically-movable double switch-bar |32 in which is mounted a switch-operator |33 through which the switchcontrol-lever |84 extends. The bar extends through plates |35 and |38 secured to the switchbox |31 by which it is supported in a vertical position, and connected to the upper end is a spring |88, the tendency of which is to raise the bar. In the edges of the bars are notches |39 to be entered by a spring-latch |40 when the switchbar is depressed, this lever having a linger |4| to be engaged by a lug |42 mounted on the chain.

When the switch-bar is pushed downward, the circuit will be closed. Then when the chain has completed one cycle, the lug |42 will move the lever |40 and release the switch-bar to move upward under pressure of the spring |38 and open the circuit,thus stopping the movement of the chains at the desired time.

When the chains are at rest, a pan will be located beneath each egg-basket, through which droppings may pass onto the pans, and three pans at the left and one at the right not in use. For convenience and clearness of description, we refer to the pan below the coop in the upper tier at left as A, the ones in advance of A as B, C and D; the pan under the coops in the lower tier at the left as E; the pan under the coops in the lower tier at the right as F; the one in advance of it as G.

When the chains move, the pan A is projected outward to the position of B and then turns downward and passes to the position of pan C in rear of comparatively-heavy rollers |44 mounted on a shaft |45 at the lower ends of arms |46 which are pivoted at their upper ends to brackets |41. As the lpan C reaches a vertical position,v as shown in Fig. 6, the lip 0| comes in contact with the surface of the pan D, so that as the pan D moves rearward, its surface will be scraped by the said lip. As the lip |0| of C contacts with the surface of the pan D, its roller engages with a pivoted lever |48 connected by a link |49 with the upper end of a bell-crank lever |50 pivoted to a fixed bearing |5| and moves a roller |52 mounted at the lower end of the lever |50 against the under side of the pan C so as to swing the said pan outwardly about its shaft |06, thereby scraping the edge IOI across the face of the pan D from the position shown in Fig. 33 to a point beyond the position shown in Fig. 35. Continued downward travel of the pan C causes the rollers to pass by the lever |48 to permit the latter to be returned to its nor-` mal position by a spring |49. As the pan D moves rearward, it will be supported by a roller |53.

As the lip |0| of the pan C approaches the lip of the pan D, the roller of the pan C strikes a pivoted lever |54 which is connected by toggle-links |55 and |56 with one end of a bar |51, the other end of the bar being pivotally connected with a ln'cker |58 so as to raise the lip of the pan C out of contact with the lip of the pan D. As the roller of the pan C passes the lever |54, that lever will be raised to its normal position by a spring |59. As the pan D moves rearward to the position of pan E, the pan C reaches a position formerly occupied by the pan D, to be scraped by the pan B.

When the pan F moves rearward, its forward pan rises so as to scrape the pan and remove -vent detachment from the shaft.

aleaooe Y f end drops downv upon-a support and as it is carried upward, its rear end engages with a scraper I 6| which is raised thereby. The pan is held in contact with the scraperA by rolls |62 mounted on a shaft |63 supported by arms |64 pivotally connected with the rear corner-posts 56, 58, and to guide the pans, rollers |65 are mounted on studs |66 supported by brackets |61 mounted on the rear posts.

The scraper -is mounted on a rod |68, and springs |69 are provided which tend to force Ithe outer edge of the scraper downward.' To

control the upward movement of the scraper, the piston-rod |18 of a pneumatic check |1| is pivotally mounted between lugs |12 on the upper face of the scraper, the cylinder of the check being supported by a yoke VA'| 13 mounted on the shaft |14 of the sprocket-wheels ||8, |20. When the lip of the pan passes the vscraper andreleases the same, it will move downward as the any material not removed by the scraper at the forward end. Each pan is', therefore, scraped twice.

To turn the pan so that it will enter the upper tier right-side'eup, yokes |15 are suspended on the shaft v|14 (see Figs. 43to 47 inclusive). 'I'hese yokes comprise lingers |16, |11 united by a bend |18, both iingers formed with inwardlyextending bends forming ribs |19 to pre- The end of the finger |11 is curved outward to form a guide and attached to the nger |16 is a weight |8I. As the rear end of the pan moves upward, it will enter the yokes and as the chain advances, its lip-end will be turned outward and upward and then downward so that its lip will rest upon the hinge-end of the` preceding pan, and when it moves out of the yoke, the weight will return the yoke to its position of rest, ready to operate upon the next succeeding pan.

The coops in the upper tier are covered by plates |82 of vexpanded flat sheet-.metal unless another unit is mounted upon the first unit.

Itwill thus be seen that we have produced a battery of poultry cages that are sanitary, solid in construction and. which can be formed, operated and maintained at a very low cost.

We claim:

l. A poultry cage comprising a frame, horizontal rails supported thereby-a series of pans, sprocket-chains with which said pans are connected, an electric motor for moving said chains, a switch controlling said motor, said switch including a vertically movable switch-bar, a spring tending to raise said bar, means for holding said bar in a depressed position, and a lug car- 2. yA poultry cage comprisinga frame, horizontal rails supported thereby, a series of pans supported by said rails and each formed with a lip at its forward end, two endless sprocketchains with which said pans are connected, the said lips adapted to rest upon the rear end of the next-preceding pan, and means for causing the lip of one pan to scrape the upper surface of the preceding pan.

3. A poultry cage comprising a frame, horizontal rails supported thereby, a series of pans supported by said rails and each formed with a lip at its forward end, two endless sprocketchains with which said pans are connected, the said lips adapted .to rest upon the rear end of the next-preceding pan, means for causing the lip of one pan to scrape the upper surface of the preceding pan, `and a kicker to raise the lip of the first pan out of engagement with the scraped pan.

4. A two tier poultry cage comprising a frame, horizontal rails supported thereby, a series of pans below each tier, sprocket-chains .with which said pans are connected, means for moving said chains, and means for reversing the position of the pans as they-pass from the lower tier to the upper tier.-

5. A two tier poultry cage comprising a frame,

horizontal rails supported thereby, a series of pans below each tier, sprocket-chains with which said pans are connected, means for moving said chains, means including a pair of yokes for re` scraper at the left positioned to scrape the surface of a pan as it leaves the lower tier.

6. A two tier poultry cage comprising a frame, horizontal rails supported thereby, a series of pans below each tier, sprocket-chains with which said pans are connected, means for moving said chains, means including a pair of yokes for reversing the position of the pans as they pass from the lower tier to the upper tier, and a spring-tensioned scraper at the left positioned to scrape the surface of a panas it leaves the lower tier.

7.'A two tier poultry vcage comprising a frame, horizontal rails supported thereby, a series of pans below each tier, sprocket-chains with which said pans are connected, means for moving said chains, means including a pair of yokes for reversing the position of the pans as they pass from the lower tier to the upper tier, a springtensioned scraper at the left positioned to scrape the surface of a pan as it leavesthe lower tier, and a pneumatic check for said scraper. 'f

ROLLAND R. CLARK. BURTON w. pimms. 

